Sainte-Foy is a former city that is now a borough of Quebec City, located in the province of Quebec, Canada. It's situated on the north bank of the Saint Lawrence River, opposite the mouth of the Saint-Charles River.
Today, the neighborhood of Sainte-Foy is a major residential and commercial district of Quebec City. It's home to several important institutions, including Université Laval, the largest French-language university in North America, and the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec, one of the largest hospitals in the province. Sainte-Foy is also a popular destination for shopping, with several large malls and shopping centers located in the area.
Within this neighborhood is a 234-unit condominium building. Opened in July of 2022, Le Wow is a six-story building with apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. Each apartment features 9-foot high ceilings, soundproofing, and high-end finishes. Locals say it is a great location due to its walkability to nearby shops and restaurants. The building itself features amenities such as a gym, swimming pool, and indoor courtyards.
For new buildings in Quebec, construction personnel must follow the 2015 National Building Code (NBC) with Quebec’s amendments. Section 6.3.1.1.(1) states, “all buildings shall be ventilated in accordance with this Part.” Part (2) states,
“Except in storage garages covered by Article 6.3.1.4., dwelling units, corridors and stairwells covered by Article 6.3.1.8., the rates at which outdoor air is supplied to buildings by ventilation systems shall a) be equal to or higher than the rates required by ANSI/ASHRAE 62.1, “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality”.
To comply with this Section, the mechanical engineers used Fantech Fresh Air Appliances with heat recovery for this application, as these HRVs successfully supply outdoor airflow to a 1,200 sq. ft. living space. In the latest version of ANSI/ASHRAE 62.1, the outdoor airflow required in the breathing zone (Vbz) is calculated by Section 6.2.1.1,
“Vbz = Rp x Pz + Ra x Az
82 = 5 x 2 + 0.06 x 1,200
Rp = Outdoor airflow rate required per person as determined by Table 6-1
Pz = Zone population, the number of people in the ventilation zone during use
Ra = Outdoor airflow rate [CFM] required per unit area as determined by Table 6-1
Az = zone floor area, the net occupiable floor area of the ventilation zone, sq. ft.”
Mechanical ventilation provided by fresh air appliances ensures livable spaces are ventilated under requirements outlined in the National Building Code. These appliances bring fresh air into the main living areas of each condominium while exhausting warm air from the kitchen and bathroom areas. The warm, exhaust air passes through the crossflow heat exchanger core tempering the incoming air to offset the load on the forced air system; keeping costs lower than a natural ventilation system would and satisfying code.
These appliances are controlled by an intuitive touchscreen, user-preference-based IAQ control. The ECO mode function allows residents to cut their ventilation energy consumption by up to 25%.
